Summer Dreams
by Jade Cade
Summary: Hopefully this will work. This is the story of Jade's adventures when she invites her cousin, Johnny and the gang to her farm in Kentucky. Please R&R. Rating just in case.


Summer Dreams  
  
by Jade Cade  
  
Hi, my name is Jade Cade I have shiny brown hair that hangs to my shoulders  
  
and emerald green eyes. This the story of my adventures I had when I  
invited  
my cousin Johnny Cade and his friends down to my farm in Kentucky.  
  
The train pulled up to the station, when it stopped people started pouring  
  
out. I soon spotted them, seven lean, hard, tough, guys, and I knew that I  
  
would have my hands full. I could find them anywhere, anytime, I had been up  
  
to Tulsa, O.K. and I had spent time everywhere except my aunt and uncle's  
  
house, because they were always fighting. "JOHNNY," I screamed but it wasn't real noticeably over all the noise. They came over to me looking around curiously. I gave my cousin a big hug and said hi to the others, they looked uncomfortable without me hugging them. "Well let's go you guys I got the mini van parked around the corner." "Okay," said the seventeen year old, Sodapop. He was always so happy-go-lucky and reckless. His long hair must look funny to everyone  
  
around here, but I was use to it. It was the color of wheat, so gold. My  
  
cousin Johnny sat in the passenger seat and I drove. Johnny always looks so  
  
scared and lost. His jet-black hair was heavily greased and combed back, but  
  
his bangs fell over his forehead nearly covering it. He was sixteen but was  
  
small for his age. The rest of the gang piled in the back, I should have brought a horse trailer, I thought to myself. It was a long ride back but Two-bit kept up a  
  
steady chatter of wisecracks and jokes. He made the whole van vibrate with laughter. He was really funny yet saw things so straightforward. He was smart even though he was still junior at eighteen and a half. "Hey, Two- bit let someone else talk for a while." I said nicely. "Okay, someone else can talk," he said. "Thanks, umm, Ponyboy how are you doing in school?" I asked. "I got straight A's this year," he replied. Ponyboy is fourteen and very quite. No wonder him and Johnny get along so well. His brown-red hair was combed back and greased like his brother Soda's, and his eyes were greenish-gray. His oldest brother Darrel who everyone calls Darry was a big muscular guy of twenty, they say he looks exactly like his father, yet his eyes are his own, pale blue pieces of cold, hard, ice.  
  
"Are we there yet?" an anxious voice called from the back of the van. " Almost," I replied. It was Steve who had asked that I was sure. Steve had been Soda's best buddy since grade school. He kept his hair combed in complicated swirls. Steve's specialty was cars and he and Soda even worked at the same gas station, a DX, I think. Dallas was awful quite on the way home, which was okay with me since he cussed alot if he was talking at all. His blond hair was so blond it looked white, and his eyes were even colder, harder, and meaner than Darry's, but were blue ice like Darry's. "We're here," I said in a singsong voice. We drove under the big sign that  
  
read...Summer Hawks Farm "This is my horse farm," I said in a sweet voice ", and if I remember correctly you love horses, right Soda?" "You betcha!" Soda exclaimed excitedly. Finally someone who loves horses the way I do.  
  
"Come on everyone we can go meet the horses after we get you guys settled  
  
in," I said.  
  
Once everyone had found their room and unpacked we went to see the horses.  
  
"This one is an American Warmblood mare named Electric Slide, this one is a  
  
Cleveland Bay stallion, his name is Star Runner, hey guys wait up, this one is Tempo, come on Soda, this is Shanova, and the next one is her son, Shanova's Secret, his name is Galaxy, and the next one is White Thunder, careful he can be snappy. This one is Wolf Warrior, and this is my personal favorite Song Rider, the last one is outside her name is Tulsa, I named her after your town. You can all pick your favorite to ride, but don't fight." "Johnny which is your favorite?" asked Dally. "I like Wolf Warrior the best," whispered Johnny. "And I like Electric Slide," said a bouncing Soda. "How 'bout the rest of you?" I said. "I like White Thunder," said Darry. "I like Star Runner," said Two-bit and Steve at the same time. Oh, no, I thought, here we go. "How about you ride Tempo, Two-bit, and Steve you ride Shanova," I suggested. "And Pony, Dally, who do y'all want to ride?" "I'll ride Shanova's Secret," said Dally in a rough voice. "I'll take Galaxy," Pony said softly. Finally we all had horses, now for tacking up. Great, here comes Casey she can help. Casey was my friend and helps around the farm, she has dirty blond hair and crystal blue eyes, and is sixteen and a half years old. "Hey Casey, can you give me hand?" I asked her. "Sure Jade, I see you got your hands full," she said. "Yeah this is my cousin's gang, gang meet Casey she is going to help you  
  
tack up. "I don't need help tacking up and neither does Steve or Soda," snapped Dally as he stalked off to the tack room. I just sighed I knew Dally, but poor  
  
Casey was sort of angry as she yelled after him "Well nice to meet you too!"  
  
"Don't worry that's Dally for ya, the rest aren't so mean and coldhearted, are you guys?" "Naw, he'll warm up, just give him time," said Two-bit. "Well let's get you guys tacked up, mind if I come," Casey said jokingly. I'll bet anyone that Casey and Two-bit will hit it off just fine, I thought. We finally got out of the barn and we were ready to go. We went to the trails off the back of the property and rode for two hours before thinking of going home. Mom should be home soon, I thought. "Hey gang I think we should head back, my mom will have dinner ready when we  
  
get back," I said. We turned around and headed back. We got back at six p.m. Mom was waiting for us when we came back. After an introduction we had dinner. Then we went out to feed and water the horses. Then we played games and watched TV, by then everyone was tired so we went to bed. Thank god we have a big house.  
  
The next morning Mom and I were the first ones up, so we decided to make  
  
breakfast. "What do they usually have for breakfast?" asked my mom.  
  
"They usually have chocolate cake and eggs," I replied causally. "What!" Mom said surprised. But we made it anyway and I sliced some tomato and lettuce, and, got out the grape jelly. "What do you need that for?" asked my surprised mom.  
  
"Darry likes his eggs in a tomato and lettuce sandwich and Soda likes his with grape jelly. "She didn't ask any more questions after that. She probably figured she would learn over time. The gang started waking up and came for breakfast, which was ready, when they came in. After breakfast Casey arrived and we went to feed the horses. "Hey Casey, Star Runner wasn't feeling well yesterday, did you give him a rough work out?" I asked concerned. I had just feed him and he was swaying a bit. "Well not too rough but I should have gone easier on him," she said sounding  
  
worried. I hope he's okay, I thought. Right then he stopped eating and with a groan laid down and started rolling. I was in the stall in a second, hauling him to his feet. " Darry can you please get me a lead rope?" I asked afraid for the horse's sake. Darry was back in a second and told me he could walk the horse around I said thanks and went out of the stall too afraid to say anything else. Casey took one look at my face and looked in the stall, and then started crying and I couldn't help, but cry too. Two- bit and Dally were instantly at Casey's side and Johnny and Soda were there for me. Darry told Pony to go call the vet and Pony went right away. I sat down on the floor and Johnny and Soda sat with me, and I cried, when I quieted and looked up Steve was helping Darry haul Star Runner to his feet again. Star  
  
Runner groaned again and dropped dead. Pony came running into the barn with  
  
the vet right behind him. "He's already dead," said a gloomy Steve. At hearing this I burst out crying again and so did Casey. Soda put my head against his shoulder as I tried to stop crying. I looked up and saw that Casey was leaning against Dally. That was very strange, I thought, after the way Dally had reacted to her help the  
  
first day, and, I thought, why was he there comforting her of all people, he didn't care about anyone, but Johnny. We buried Star Runner under the tree in the pasture; it had been his favorite spot on the farm. I had to tell Casey a thousand times it wasn't her fault, but she didn't believe me.  
  
That night everyone was restless, so I suggested we go to the movie with some of my other friends, I was still sad, but I felt better. Everyone agreed so I called my friends, I didn't say anything about Star Runner to them, they agreed and told me to meet them there. Before I hung up I said "I'm bringing Casey and a bunch of guys with me, is that okay with you?" I knew the answer before she even said it. My  
  
friend Darci said, "You know it!" and hung up. I smiled as I thought, I know her perfect match. When we got there I spotted my other friends right away. I knew what they were thinking, "Where did you get those cute boys?" I introduced my friends, Darci, Amy, Trisha, Abby, and Chrissy to the gang and we went to find  
  
seats. Soda sat on one side of me and Darci sat down on my other side and whispered, "Where did you get these cute boys?" I knew it! "They're from Oklahoma, this is my cousin's gang," I said, "why which one you have your eye on?" I laughed. "That one over there, I think you said his name was Two- bit," she said dreamily. Then she went over to talk to him. I looked down the row and saw  
  
no one was watching the movie, but talking to someone. Darci and Two-bit were talking and laughing, Amy and Johnny were watching the movie, but no one else. Pony was talking to Abby, who was listening, with respect. Trisha and Steve were talking, and even Darry was talking to Chrissy. I looked around and to my surprise found Dally and Casey cuddling together in the next row back. That was so surprising I thought I was dreaming. "You feeling okay now Jade?" asked Soda. I was startled and then nodded my head, smiling weakly. I leaned my head against his shoulder and sighed softly. Life's not fair, Star Runner was my second favorite horse and a very promising jumper. I couldn't bring myself to blame Casey, because she had been my best friend for so long, but I know it wasn't my fault either. Life may not always be fair, yet sometimes tragedies can be helpful in learning to help and trust people, and bringing people closer together.  
  
The next morning I remembered everything that happened, yet it seemed like a  
  
dream, no, not dream, nightmare, yes. When I went into the kitchen my mom  
  
was there, and she looked worried. "Where did you go last night, and why does everyone look so depressed?" she asked in a quite voice. I told her about Star Runner, and then going to the movies. I thought Ponyboy had told my mom so I thought she already knew. After I finished she said, "There's a rodeo here in town I thought you might like to go to." "Thanks Mom we'll go today, I'm going to feed the horses," I said, and hurried out the door. It was the first time since Star Runner died. I am usually out there every spare minute. As I started to feed the horses Casey came in and said hi. "How were you last night I didn't see you?" I asked  
  
quietly. "I was okay, Dally comforted me," she replied. "I thought you hated each other, "I teased her. "Well that was before yesterday," she murmured. I didn't want anything to eat for breakfast so I stayed down at the barn. I slipped into Star Runner's empty stall, and sat against the back wall. I remembered all the fun times we had together and how we taught each other something new each day. I soon saw the ground was blurred and I couldn't help the tears, running silently down my cheeks. I heard someone come in and they said, "Hey Jade stop crying." I could tell it was Casey. I wiped my tears off with my sleeve, and said, "You guys want to go to the rodeo?" "Yeah, sure let's go," she said helping me to my feet. It took two mini vans to get there with the others. Once we all got out we headed in opposite  
  
directions. I went to see the horses for sale, Dally and Casey went to the office, and the others went to the arena. As I walked down the path I looked at the horses for sale. I saw one that seemed so familiar, yet I have not seen that one before. It suddenly dawned on me what horse it was, and I asked the owner the registered name of the horse. She told me its name was Mickey Mouse and said she would sell for cheap. I said, "Thanks," and headed toward the arena quickly. I saw Soda, and asked him to come with me. As I led him back to where the horses were for sale he tried to get me to tell him what it was. When Mickey Mouse was in view I  
  
said, "There's Mickey Mouse." Soda was over there in a flash, talking to the horse. I went to find the owner and wrote the check. "Come on Soda let's get back to the arena," I said pulling him away from the horse, "You'll get to see him again."  
  
When we got back to the arena we could see our group by the fence. As we  
  
neared I could tell someone was missing. I asked, "Where's Dally?" My question was answered by Casey's sigh, and I turned to follow her gaze. What I saw didn't surprise me much, Dally was going to ride and win this rodeo. Everyone could see Casey loved Dallas. How was she going to react when I told her they were going home in two days? Like I predicted Dally won the rodeo. On the way home my thoughts kept drifting and I couldn't focus. Thank god Casey said she would drive. When we got back I wanted to talk alone with Casey, so I held her back. I said  
  
carefully, "You know Dally is going back to Tulsa on Friday." Casey was silent for a few seconds then said decidedly, "I'm going with them." "Casey, I said we could all move there over the summer, not over the weekend," I said. I want to go back with them too, I thought, but I didn't tell her. Then she just smiled and we went in for dinner. After dinner I went down to feed the horses again. It seemed funny that  
  
Casey didn't come help. I gazed in the empty stall and thought; "If I put Tulsa in Star Runner's stall it may ease the pain." So I did that and I began to feel better. When I went back in I found that Casey and Dally were both gone, but I didn't think anything of it then.  
  
The next morning we were suppose to meet Casey at the Church Hill Downs racetrack, but it seemed we were also going to meet Dally there since no one had  
  
seen either of them after dinner last night. Casey was going to be racing a horse for someone today, and she invited us to come watch. When we got in I led the gang to my favorite spot, halfway down the rail so they could see the whole race. The horse Casey was riding looked like a champion, and looked like it was going to put the rest of the horses to shame. Sure enough that's what she did, and her name was Rush Hour. It isn't everyday that a filly beats colts bigger than her. We all went to the backside and we found Dally, brushing Rush Hour's coat. Casey was getting Rush Hour some water. "Where did you go last night?" Steve bravely asked. " It isn't any of your @#$% business," Dally said roughly. I told you he cusses alot, although he has been watching his language around Casey. I figured I could ask Casey later. We all congratulated Casey for the great race.  
  
That night we went to the movies again, on Casey's request. I sat by Johnny and told him that I planned to move to Tulsa over the summer. I said, "Don't tell anyone though," I knew I didn't have to tell him that, he wouldn't open his mouth unless he was forced to. I looked around for Casey to ask her where she went last night. I couldn't find her, she's probably with Dally, I thought. Before dinner the gang was watching TV and I was flipping through my family tree album in the den with mom. It says I have a twin? "Mom do I have a twin?" I asked curiously. My mom looked hurt before answering yes. My parents split when I was three months old, my mom took me and my dad took my twin. My mom says, "Your father never cared for him, I should have taken both of you. He's most likely living with a foster family." "What if dad did keep him what would be his name?"I asked. Her answer surprised us both. In case you're wondering what her answer was it was 'Dallas Winston'. I went to get him at my moms' signal. "Dallas," I asked sweetly so I don't get clobbered, "will you come with me for a minute?" "Give me one good reason why I should," he threatened me. I replied coolly, "I'll give you three, one, this is important, two, this is your business, and three, my mom is involved in this." He followed me as I bounced down the hall to the den. He called after me,  
  
"Hey wait up Sugarpop." Sugarpop? "Is that my new nickname?" I asked my twin. Yeah, it did suit me because I love pop and anything that is sweet. When my mom told Dally what she had just told me he was shocked. Then he looked at me and rolled his eyes, I don't think he likes me too much. I just smiled back sweetly. When we came out of the den Dallas told me if I told the gang I would be dead meat. I believed him and didn't tell anyone.  
  
Dinner was a little late but the horses still had to be fed on time. So I asked Dally to come help me, and as I bounced out of the living room I heard him call, "Wait Sugar." Then Soda said, "Cheating on Casey already, Dallas?" That was going to cost him, I thought as I went out the door. At dinner my mom let the cat out of the bag. I was sitting between my cousin and brother, and opposite of me sat Soda, and I noticed he had a black eye. "Get in a fight with Dally, Soda?" I asked innocently. "Yeah, how can you tell?" was his answer. "I heard the whole thing."  
  
"You did, huh?" he said. "The whole thing, darling," I said with a faint New  
  
York accent. 


End file.
